I Invite You
To join me on a beautiful eight day creative journey across my ancestral homelands of Greece. Something happens to my nervous system when I arrive here. I start to shift from a state of anxiousness to relaxation and peace. Whenever I move into this space, a softness, femininity, a vital and creative part of myself is lit. I want to introduce you to the gifts this land, water, and people have to offer. Join me for eight days as we make our way across the landscape exploring organic farms, vineyards, ruins, and exquisite beaches. Let's eat delicious home-cooked meals, drink a glass of wine under the stars, dance, fall asleep to the sounds of the waves, and gather for morning practices and creative workshops. I believe that every person has creativity within them. Whether it's the way you dress, the way you cook, the stories you tell, or the songs you sing. I believe one of the keys to living a good life is to embrace this part of our nature. This tour is designed to give you a taste of Greece and gently dig out your creative glory so you can spread it back home, and everywhere you go.
Your Host
Jaime Leigh (Demetra) Gianopoulos
Jaime Leigh (Demetra) Gianopoulos (she/her) is a director, producer, photographer, and editor based in Vancouver, Canada. Her projects primarily concern the empowerment of women and social and environmental justice. Her grandparents on her father's side are from two small villages in Laconia, Greece and England, Ireland, and Bratislava Slovakia from her mother's side. Jaime Leigh has spent many years journeying to her ancestral roots and developing a more profound connection through storytelling and reconnection to the land and water.
Jaime is the co-executive producer, co-director, and editor of the short film ‘Our Grandmother the Inlet’ OGTI Productions and Boldly, which received funding from the ‘Canada Council for the Arts' and the ‘Hot Doc’s Cross Current fund.' The film features her co-director/executive producer, Kayah George, as a reciprocal love letter portraying a young indigenous woman's intrinsic love towards the water and inlet. Loving and living in reciprocity with the water the same way one would with their Grandmother (Ta7a).
She also received full funding through ‘The Canada Council for the Arts' for her short film ‘Ask the Plantain’, shot on the island of Crete and Laconia with an all-female crew in May 2022. Co-produced by Her Stories and Shelby Manton from Boldly. The film explores the grief and liminal space between not belonging to the lands you were born on and not belonging to the lands your ancestors once came from. Using archetypal patterns from the myth of Demeter and Persephone to draw parallels between her internal search and the cycles of life, death, and rebirth. Both films will have their premiere and festival run in 2023.
Jaime Leigh was selected as one of five prominent filmmakers by the Documentary Organization of Canada’s ‘Breakthrough Program' 2022. Graduate from the 'Toronto Film School' and participate in many creative pieces of training through Hot Docs, Whistler Film Festival, Doc BC, The Sundance Collab Institute, etc…
Jaime Leigh is currently in pre-production on a music video for Juno-nominated artist Desiree Dawson’s ‘Mountain Tops.’ She is also a 200-hour certified Modo Yoga teacher who received the “Be Peace Scholarship” for social and environmental justice work excellence. She also leads and offers inspirational talks and creative workshops to empower youth. She founded Meli Meli Creative Tour, which brings groups of people on 8-day creative travel tours across Greece—inspiring women to explore sensuality through the art of self-portraits. Jaime Leigh shot and edited for the 2022 Vancouver Indigenous fashion week and has worked with designers such as Cynthia Summers, Indi City, and Malmama boutique in Greece.
Her short film “What About Our Future?” which she co-directed with Claudio Cruz, executive produced, and edited, was distributed through ‘Hollywood Suite’ and played at film festivals and humanitarian festivals worldwide, being the first short to receive ‘The Nigel Moore Youth Programming Award’ at DOXA 2021. Participating in SIMA Classrooms, Hot Doc’s Classrooms, and SMI’S 'Story Money Impact Program.' The film played in over 500 classrooms, inspiring youth toward creative social and environmental justice solutions.
